Xia De observed the expression of the lady in front of him:
"Defeat you? Do you mean guessing riddles? Competing with wits?"
Shad blinked.
"No, it's what you understand, fighting."
"Um... you... are you kidding?"
"This is certainly not a joke. Now defeat me. This is your third trial."
The lady in white robe spoke gently, the light around her still so soft, and she made an inviting gesture.
"Is this really a test I can complete?"
The first two tasks, proving oneself at the banquet and exploring the professor's secrets, were increasingly difficult, but they were all within an acceptable range. The difference in difficulty between the third trial and the first two trials was, to use an inappropriate metaphor, the same as the difference between "defeat the blood-sucking god" and "defeat the talking white mouse" and "defeat the orange cat Mia".
"Every trial has the possibility of being completed for you."
The lady in white robes reiterated the words that Shade said when he first came here, and Shade pursed his lips:
"I thought the trials I had to complete were all tests of wisdom. Why would they have to be tests of strength?"
The lady in white robe said softly:
"In the first trial, you proved your worth in the material world. In the second trial, you proved your ability to act and judge. In the third trial, you have to prove your strength. This time, prove your strength to me.
I will suppress my power and use the mystical system of this era to fight you, you don't have to worry about that."
Shade held the Night's Watchman, and although he felt that this trial was still a little outrageous, he nodded to show his acceptance.
He had already completed two of the four trials, and at this point he had to give it a try. Although he no longer had the Eternal Youth Leaf in his hand, he felt that even if he lost, the lady in front of him would not seriously injure him.
Shade looked at Professor Drake, who was sitting in a wheelchair, crying over the lake:
“Let’s solve the professor’s problem first.
Professor Drake, this is what I have brought you here, you can make an extra wish, or ask a question. Don't worry, it doesn't cost anything. You can ask this lady to restore your legs so that you can walk again, or erase your memory of this journey. You can even ask her to erase all your memories of me in your mind, and just pretend that you didn't do anything this winter, and just live like before. "
The professor lowered his head and said nothing. Shade continued:
"I understand how you feel. I've heard stories about people and dragons. Someone longed for a giant dragon and wanted to see one all the time, but when the dragon fulfilled his wish and really appeared, he was frightened. This is normal, you don't have to take it to heart."
"I... was actually shocked by my own intelligence."
The professor said, shaking his head.
“Wisdom and knowledge are a heavy power and a heavy burden.”
The lady in the white robe spoke softly. Shade nodded. The stranger in this world was deeply touched by these words:
"Wisdom and knowledge are also wealth, but we all know that more wealth is not necessarily better. Professor Drake, make a wish. Because of my own trials, I have dug up the past that you deliberately forgot, so I have the obligation to bury it again. Please make a wish and end it all. This is what you deserve."
Although this meant wasting Shad's opportunity to give a gift, Shad thought he should do it.
The old professor wiped his face with the back of his hand and looked up at the two people on the lake. The lady in white robe was surrounded by pure white holy light, and the young man holding the sword was like a silvery moonlight:
"Wise man of the lake, goddess of the water, I make my wish to you..."
The old professor stretched out his trembling hand and pointed at Xia De:
"Before you have a fair fight with this gentleman, please give this gentleman some help as much as possible."
"What?"
Xia De looked at the professor in surprise, but the professor just shook his head. He looked at Xia De with an unusually tired look on his old face:
“Mr Watson, all decisions are my own.
The fear of wisdom is my own thought. I am used to these legs, and I don't want to die with doubts. Now that I know the truth today, why should I forget it? I gained wisdom because of pursuit, and abandoned wisdom because of fear, so why should I regret it again now? Fool, I only do it once, it is enough. "
The midday sun shines on the professor, but makes him look even more hunched:
"That's enough to know now. At least when I lie in my grave I shall consider myself happy, for I have no more questions in my life."
"I have given you other chances before. Your wisdom is enough for me to give you more power, but you chose the worst outcome. This choice is not the worst, but it is not the best either."
The lady in the white robe said to the professor. Xia De didn't understand what she said, but the professor did. He lowered his eyes and his hoarse voice almost sang:
"We live on a peaceful island called ignorance, surrounded by an endless black ocean, and we should not set sail. The dark grave is right in front of me, and I would like to lie here forever and listen to the wind and waves."
"He is afraid of wisdom."
The lady in white robe said to Shade, and Shade shook his head at the lady:
"It's not fear, it's awe. Staying away because of awe can also be considered a kind of wisdom. At least teach yourself that you are happy before you die."
The lady in white robe smiled gently:
"It seems you understand. In response to Professor Kansas Drake's wish, I allow you to manipulate the lake water beneath your feet."
"Okay, can manipulate the water here, and then, now, beat you here."
Shade sighed softly. Obtaining the authority meant that he could move freely in this area of water.
But this help was not enough to give Shad any advantage. It was not because he was timid or cowardly, nor was it because he was overly modest. Father Augustus said that the "Lady of the Lake" was a genuine ancient angel, and her status was not much lower than that of the original angel.
Even if the angels had the power to suppress him, Shad was self-aware enough to think that he probably wouldn't be able to gain the upper hand.
As for using divinity here, that is even more impossible. Using a drop of divinity for the sake of a drop of divinity is meaningless.